Bell rings strong in triple-A

Andrew Shortall, andrew.shortall@latimes.com

GLENDALE — The following are updates on local baseball players at the minor league level.

Trevor Bell (Crescenta Valley High, 2005) Salt Lake Bees pitcher: Bell seems to have settled back into the minor leagues, putting together three solid starts since getting shipped back down to the Salt Lake Bees, the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim's triple-A affiliate.

The former Falcon was sent down to the Bees on July 22 to make room for Fernando Rodney on the Angels roster. He held the opposition scoreless in his first two starts before pitching his third against the Tucson Padres on Tuesday.

Bell gave up three runs in the first three innings on Tuesday, but battled back and didn't give up another the rest of the way. He threw six innings and surrendered five hits, including a two-run homer, and three walks to Tucson. He still picked up the win, leaving the game after 96 pitches with eight strikeouts and his team in front, 8-3. The Bees went on to win, 8-4.

In his first start back with the Bees, Bell gave up one hit against the Tacoma Rainiers on July 23. On a pitch count, he threw 3 2/3 innings scoreless innings and struck out five batters in an 18-9 Salt Lake victory. The former All-Area standout had another scoreless outing against the Fresno Grizzlies on July 28. He struck out two batters and gave up five hits and a walk in 3 1/3 innings of a 1-0 Bees win.

Bell's win-loss record improved to 2-2 in the minors with his win Tuesday. His earned-run average in the minors now sits at 4.34, as he's given up 27 hits and 14 earned runs in 29 innings pitched at the triple-A level this year.

The Bees (51-60) can use Bell's help. They were in last place in the Pacific Coast League's Pacific North Division and 13 1/2 games out of first place in their division coming into Tuesday. Salt Lake is currently riding a four-game winning streak, however.

Fernando Valenzuela Jr. (St. Francis High, 2000) Leones de Yucatan designated hitter: The 2011 season will go down as the best one Valenzuela has experienced in his five years in the Mexican League.

Valenzuela was named a Mexican League All-Star for the first time this year. He hit .359 (125 for 348), which was the sixth-best mark in the league and his personal best by six points in his seven minor league seasons.

The former Vaquero and Golden Knight also had 61 runs batted in, eight homers, 24 doubles and maintained a .503 slugging and .413 on-base percentage. Valenzuela closed out the last five games of the season with at least one RBI and a six-game hitting streak.

The Leones de Yucatan didn't fare as well as Valenzuela. The Leones finished last in the Mexican League with a 43-62 record, 19 games out of first place in the Mexican League's South Division.

Bryan Longpre (Crescenta Valley High, 2005) pitcher, Vancouver Canadians: It'd be hard for Longpre to make a better impression on his new team, the Class A short-season Vancouver Canadians.

In 13 appearances out of the Canadians' bullpen, the Crescenta Valley graduate has an 0.73 earned-run average in 24 2/3 innings. Longpre's accumulated a 3-2 record with two saves and 22 strikeouts since joining Vancouver. He's only given up 17 hits, seven runs (two earned) and eight walks in his 13 appearances, while holding batters to a .195 average.

Longpre's last appearance came against the Tri-City Dust Devils on Friday, as he went three innings. He gave up two hits, two walks and an unearned run. He picked up the win and struck out two batters. The Canadians (26-19), an affiliate of the Toronto Blue Jays, were two games out of first place in the Northwest League's West Division coming into Tuesday and are riding a three-game losing streak.